I really wanted this particular New Look pattern. Now, I could have had Simplicity send it to me, or I could have gone to my local Joann's to get a copy. But, the Simplicity option would take a day or two and the Joann's option might not work at all. The New Look patterns are sold off one of those spinning racks and they are ALWAYS out of the one I want.I had been wanting to try this, just so I could tell people how hard or easy it is to do. Some people don't have a store near them that carries Simplicity patterns. And I know folks in Canada are having a really big problem with one of their main fabric chains dropping Simplicity patterns.

Here's how it works.

After I purchased the Print at Home version of the pattern off Simplicity's website a couple emails came to me. They had the special code I would need to enter the website that stores all the patterns you buy. This website also has the program you must download in order to view and print your patterns. I use an Apple computer and had a little trouble at first. But, I simply had to lower the security setting for my computer briefly to allow the pattern program to download. It really wasn't too much of a problem.

Then they suggest just printing out the first page of your pattern, to make sure the scale is correct, that the little grey square measures 1" by 1".

Mine did, so I proceeded to print out the pattern. They suggest setting your printer so it uses less ink, but my printer didn't have that option. I decided to look carefully at each page in the whole pattern and just choose the ones I needed. I wasn't planning to make the pants, so why waste the paper and ink?

This is what I got. Now, people have told me there is a way to put the digital pattern on a thumb drive and take it to a printing place like Kinko's and you can get it printed out on giant pieces of paper. Easier, but probably more expensive.

But, if you are going to use a pile of 8 1/2" x 11" pieces of paper, this is what you do. Each sheet has a border so you can over lap the pages when taping. This border needs to be trimmed away along either the top or bottom and one side.

Then the lap lines can be matched up. To help you line the sheets up in the correct order, they are all labeled with numbered rows and columns by letter.

If you like puzzles, you'll LOVE this!

Somehow I missed printing the middle and top of the sleeve! So back to the program to print those pages.

But I decided that since the middle of the sleeve is really just filler, I used a sheet that I had somehow managed to print twice. But I made sure to get the grain line connected from the piece above to the piece below.

I got the pattern I needed quickly, didn't have to pay shipping, without having to leave my house.

This should be great for people living outside the US. Also, you are allowed to print each pattern 3 times. Really, a good deal.

And for more instructions how to do this, read this article from Pattern Review.

Now, some of you may ask why would I want or need to buy a pattern when I'm a pattern maker? I used to think patterns were expensive until I learned to make them. It takes quite a bit of time to make a good pattern. Even at full price, they are worth the price because of the time they save. Why reinvent the wheel.

And some others of you may comment that the Simplicity website is SO SLOW that it is too frustrating to go there and buy a digital pattern, but just this week I've been told they are in the process of solving this problem. Hope it gets fixed soon. I will let you all know when that is.